My weekly meal plan!

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Hello ladies!
Here we go, this is our meal plan for this week.

How are you all doing with meal planning? I truly am so much more successful when I have a plan, get groceries and prep!

I've not been feeling my best for a few weeks now, which also doesn't help me stick to plan, however, I am so thankful and praising God that I seem to be on the upswing now and improving! Now I just have to remember to not overeat!

My husband has also been doing a cleanse for a few days now and will wrap that up on Tuesday, so it has made cooking for all of us a bit crazy! Looking forward to getting back to routine!

Here is what's to eat this week, I hope this helps you or give you inspiration!!

Breakfasts:
Crepes (New recipe, I've made it once, will make it this week twice and then post!)X2
Scones with BP Tea, I will have this twice this week
Baked Oatmeal, I will have this twice and probably for snacks too
Yogurt with berries, hemp seeds and THM Stevia

Lunches:

Leftover Cabbage Patch Soup  (I use this recipe, on plan sweetener and extra lean ground beef that I rinse well and call this an E)
Sandwiches on Just Like Grandmas Rolls with lean deli meat, Earth Milk (pg 402) (twice)
Sweet and Savory Sesame Noodles (twice)
Leftover Chili (twice)

Dinners:
My fast food: I boil cauliflower, all beef organic hot dogs together, then place in a bowl with cheese and a decorative squirt of mustard
Roast in the crockpot with salad
Cabb & Saus Skillet (pg 58), cauli rice (I buy it at Trader Joes)
Wicked White Chili (pg37) with side salad
Sloppy Joes on Sweet Potatoes with side salad
Golden Chana Soup (pg 99) with side salad
Tuna Melts on Just Like Grandmas Rolls side of roasted broccoli

Snacks:
Earth Milk (pg 402)
Dark Chocolate....yum :)
Big Boy Smoothies

With Joy~ Tina :)

Marvelous Mini Meatloaves - Egg free, Dairy free, Grain Free, Nut free (S)

I love meatloaf! My whole family loves meatloaf! Sometimes I don't have over an hour to wait for it to bake, this is a wonderful, quick and delicious alternative!

I wanted these to be as allergy friendly as I could get them, so I went with simple, yet flavorful! There are no eggs, yet they stayed together beautifully! There is no wheat or oats etc, yet they were moist! I did top them with a smidgen of mustard, which was the perfect little tang!

I baked them in my silicone muffin pans, so easy to use, non stick, easy cleanup. Mine get lots of use creating wonderful things both sweet and savory!

                                                                  

My side dish to keep this a delicious S was asparagus. They had it on sale for $1.99 a bunch at Trader Joe's today, I couldn't help myself! I did a simple light saute in some EVOO and seasoned simply with salt and pepper. Any non starchy would round this out beautifully, with butter! I only used EVOO this time instead of butter because my husband is on a cleanse and no butter for him until next week!  It was such a good dinner I could hardly wait to share!

Marvelous Mini Meatloaves

Ingredients:

2 pounds 85% lean ground beef (I wanted a little fat in there for moistness and flavor)
1 Tabelspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon real salt
2 teaspoons dried thyme

That's it! So simple!!

Combine all of the ingredients, which I do in my mixer, but don't overmix it!! We don't want tough little meatloaves!

Now break the meat in to 12 pieces and roll in to balls. Place one in each cup of your muffin tin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes!

With joy ~ Tina

Simple Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce (S, E or FP)

Deliciously Simple!

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I love an easy slow cooker meal. I take a few minutes out of my busy morning to get everything tossed in, clean up and one thing is now checked off my list for the day!

Between homeschool, running a bible study, dance fellowship and household chores, my slow cooker has been such a useful tool in my home! I shoot for at least one meal a week that can be made in my slow cooker!

This spaghetti sauce is super simple, can be made for any fuel type and throws together in a few minutes. The recipe as written made 4 generous servings, could be 6 if you're not Italian like my husband and you love your spaghetti!

I added sliced Italian chicken sausages to this batch as you can see in my photos. You could also add shredded chicken breast, ground beef etc.

Since we are gluten free in our home we use either Trader Joes brown rice noodles or our other favorite is Tinkyada Brown Rice noodles. These noodles can be used on THM in side serving portions once in a while. It will make your meal an E or if you add fat, of course it will be a crossover. I always make up a spaghetti squash, fill my bowl with that and add in a few noodles on top. I found I don't need all those noodles and I am fully satisfied. You could also use Dreamfields Pasta if you are not gluten free and it can be used in any setting.



Simple Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce
Serves 4 hungry Italians or 6 Regular Peeps

2  15oz cans diced tomatoes
1  6oz can tomato paste
2 Tablespoons grated parmesan (dairy free, you can omit this)
2 teaspooons oregano
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon Super Sweet
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 small/medium onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 Tablespoon refined coconut oil (or regular if you don't mind the flavor)

1 pound meat of choice prepared.

Saute onion and garlic in a small fry pan in the oil. I prefer my onion and garlic to be wilted before adding. This step can be omitted and you can add it raw right to the crockpot to save a step. This is just personal preference.

Add the rest of the ingredients to your 3 quart crockpot. Combine everything well. Let cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low! (I have also made this dish with a bit of spice, a couple of shakes of chili flake is a nice addition if your family enjoys a little zing in their sauce.)

If you are using spaghetti squash, I always bake this almost an hour before I am ready to serve dinner. You could of course use a Vegetti spiralizer (this is the one I have) and make zucchini noodles!


With Joy ~ Tina

My Weekly Meal Plan and our THIRD week CHALLENGE!

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Hello ladies!
This is our third week!! Can you believe it? For those of you who have taken my no weigh challenge, we will be checking in with measurement and or weighing in NEXT WEEK! Congratulations to all of you who accepted that challenge, and remember, this will continue throughout the year. I plan to only weigh in once a month, during our weekly challenge!

To join my accountability/challenge group, you can find us on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/514579302038332/

If you are interested in joining us for that challenge, you can check in here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/514579302038332/permalink/525746200921642/

To check in with your weight, measurements and or before and after photos you can find that thread here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/514579302038332/permalink/524343074395288/

Now, on to my meal planning!

So, our third week challenge is to prepare and plan! I have said it numerous times, but I am going to repeat it again, when I meal plan and prepare ahead of time, I am SO MUCH more SUCCESSFUL on plan! So I know many of you struggle with meal planning. It is hard to think of all those meals and for those of us with food allergies or intolerances it can be even more of a task. However, let me encourage you, it is really worth the time and effort you spend on it. You will have smoother days and no more WHATS FOR DINNER panic! You will know in the morning whats on the menu that night! You don't have to figure out what to eat when you're starving, just look at your plan!

So I am CHALLENGING you, make a plan. It can be super formal accounting for every morsel you will eat for a week, or it can be more laid back, just plan and shop for all your dinners. Whatever works best for you, but this is a challenge I want you be mindful of as we progress through our year together.

Now, just because we are no longer on our water challenge week, that doesn't mean you can forget about drinking plenty! I am hoping that you are developing a new, good regular habit! (And me too) So keep drinking your water.

Think of our challenges like adding on layers to our routines. Gently and weekly we will grow and add on more healthful habits! By the end of the year, we will have a whole new lifestyle that is healthy and trimming. :)

On to my plan! (Oh, I am not the only blogger out there that offers meal plans, Darcies Dishes offers one as well as many others, so be sure to look around! Please link any you find in this thread as well to help others!

Breakfasts:
Bust a Myth Cake page 298 (I'll have this twice)
Big Boy Smoothie page 413 and Chicken breakfast sausage links (I buy at Trader Joes)
I have two busy days, so I will be making bullet proof tea to GO! It will be like my London Fog Healing Tea, but I will add Kerrygold Butter and Coconut Oil
Yogurt with frozen mixed berries, tablespoon of walnut, TruLemon and sweetener Oolong Tea (I will have this the remainder of the week)

I use the THM Cook book a LOT! It's excellent! If you don't have it yet, I highly recommend you invest in it. It is really worth it for all the amazing recipes!

You can find it here:



Lunches:
Lettuce Wrap Chicken Burgers with salad (I'll have this twice)
Leftover Orange Chicken (once)
Thin Mint Chocolate Chip Shake page 410 (I'll have this twice)
Just Like Campbells Tomato Soup page 112 with Just Like Grandmas Rolls
Chicken Patty and Earth Milk page 402

Dinner:
Sweet Potato Oat Soup page 102
Orange Chicken page page 72 serve over cauli rice
Beans N Mac (family recipe, sorry peeps) It's an E, like a minestrone
Spaghetti with chicken italian sausage (I hope to blog this easy crockpot sauce recipe this week!)
Cowboy Grub and salad page 59
Super Salmon Patties page 176 with salad and broccoli
Burrito Bowls (brown rice, beans, chicken breast, salsa and chopped cabbage, easy and Yummy!)
White Wicked Chili with salad page 37

Snacks:
Fat Stripping Frappe (I will have this three times)
Skinny Chocolate and tea (I will have this twice)
Chocolate banana muffins with tea (I will have this twice

Desserts:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar (I will have this twice)
Cookie Bowl Oatmeal with Strawberries (I will have this three times, trying to add FP to dessert)
Pineapple Upsdie Down Cake page 290 (twice)

Have a great week ladies!
Thank you for all your support!
With Joy ~  Tina :)

Sweet and savory Sesame Noodles S Egg Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Gluten Free

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Yum!! Noodles!

Hot or Cold these are delicious!

They were so delicious, they needed a full photo shoot!

Because not only did they taste amazing, they looked just delicious too! Seriously, so easy, so flavorful,  a lovely deep S.
Super duper allergy friendly! Another lovely bonus.

A few weeks ago this idea popped into my head, I wanted a huge bowl of noodles, with a sweet and savory sesame sauce and chicken....and veggies and it had to be BIG. No whimpy portions for this mama!
I had some ideas, I googled around the net and came across this recipe:    http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/simple-sesame-noodles/

This one, while I am quite sure is absolutely amazing as all things the Pioneer Woman does is, it was just not right for my THM lifestyle. So, I decided to play with her recipe and customize it for me! (Which works out for us!)

I wanted to make this a complete meal, so I added chicken and vegetables to round it out and it was very popular in my house. I have happy tummies over here. :)

Sweet and Savory Sesame Noodles -  THM Satisfying Meal

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut aminos or GF soy sauce
3 cloves of crushed garlic
1 Tablespoon Super Sweet Blend
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Cups Sliced Cabbage
1 Family Bag of Not Naughty Noodles
2 chicken breasts cooked and chopped
3 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
4 Green Onions sliced
Chili Flakes to taste

Instructions:

Mix Sauce ingredients together, from the aminos/soy sauce to the EVOO. Mix WELL

Cook and chop chicken breast. I only lightly seasoned mine with some salt. I wanted the flavors of the sauce to shine in this recipe. Set chicken aside. (I used the same pan to cook the chicken that I used to cook the rest of the meal, I like shortcuts!)

I added about 4 tablespoons of water to my hot pan from the chicken to deglaze a bit and I tossed my chopped cabbage in. I water sauteed it until it was just starting to soften. I then added in my well rinsed Not Naughty Noodles and stirred to combine. I then added in the chopped cooked chicken. Once combined I remixed then poured my sauce over everything and stirred until all was well coated and combined.

I plated the meal as is, then I topped with the sesame seeds, green onions and chili flakes. I was going to eat it with some fun chop sticks...but I got impatient and brought the fork out! It was SO GOOD!

This will be delicious hot or cold! I have enough left over from my lunch I will be packing this in my husbands lunch for tomorrow!

With Joy ~ Tina

Water!

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Water! So important for life! Do you drink enough of it? I think we all realize it is important for our health and well being, but I thought it would be great to write up a post with some of the many reasons why we should be drinking plenty of water everyday!

If you are part of my 2016 THM Accountability Group, this is our second week challenge! Setting a goal and drinking your water each day! Great habit to get in to!

Benefits of Drinking Water

Promotes Glowing Skin

Helps our bodies absorb nutrients

Keeps our system flowing (yes, it is a visible affect in our blood, have you ever had a blood draw when dehydrated? BAD!)

Helps energize our muscles

Helps our kidneys

Helps...ahem...keep our elimination system moving..a very good thing!

Has a positive affect on our mood

Helps us lose weight

Can lessen joint pain when properly hydrated

Can help prevent headaches

These are just a few of the MANY benefits of water in our system. Look around, life grows, flourishes and multiplies with water, the trees and plants show their beauty when well hydrate and cared for. We too need that care, nourishment to our system with plenty of water.

How much water? From my little bit of research I found a variety of opinions. Some recommend the old standby, 8-8oz glasses of water a day. Some say drink have your body weight in ounces per day. Whatever way you decide to determine how much is enough for you, set a goal and drink that much everyday!

I have actually downloaded an app on my phone that sends me a little reminder to drink my water! I do count my GGMS and tea as water too.

Do you know of more wonderful benefits of water?

John 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'"

Please check out my Trim Healthy Mama Store for any items you are in need of to help you on your THM journey. You can also PM me for sale through my own retail outlet. Thank you so much! 

Cinnamon Rolls with Glaze! Egg free, Dairy Free, Wheat Free can be dairy free! THM E!

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I love cinnamon rolls. Seriously, they were one of my favorite foods prior to THM. Since being on THM, being egg free, wheat free and mostly dairy free I haven't had a cinnamon roll.

That's sad. :(

I decided that I needed to try to make a yummy cinnamon roll I could once again enjoy. Since making an S dough is so challenging without egg, I decided to try tweaking my oat scone recipe and I really like the result! Now, keep in mind, these aren't the soft fluffy cinnamon rolls you are accustomed to with white flour and all that gluten. However, these are delicious in their own right.

After I had made them and had my test panel (my family) try them out for me, they all agreed it needed a glaze. Being an E cinnamon roll, I knew I would be needing something FP to make it work, so I did it! I came up with a yummy glaze to round these beauties out!

A tip about these, I really wanted that butter flavor, so I maxed out our fat limit in butter with one cinnamon roll, however, if you cut the butter back by half, using half in each area, you could enjoy 2 of these rolls as a nice breakfast or snack. Since mine are already made....I'm just gonna enjoy 2 as my dessert tonight and they will be a slight crossover. I'm so ok with that. I think I will make a nice trimmie hot cocoa to round this out. Yum!

*** For dairy free, sub coconut oil, use refined for no coconut flavor.***

With Joy~ Tina

Cinnamon Rolls with Glaze

For the rolls:
1 1/4 cup oat flour
1/2 cup oat fiber 
1/4 cup psyllium husk
2 Tablespoons Super Sweet Blend
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon Butter
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup on plan milk of choice
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the butter glaze inside:
1 Tablespoon Super Sweet Blend
1/4 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
1 Tablespoon melted butter

For the Cinnamon filling:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 cup super sweet blend

For the glaze:
1 cup on plan milk
1 teaspoon gluccie
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 droppers of liquid stevia (2 doonks stevia powder should also work here)

To make the glaze, I poured one cup on plan milk into a measuring cup, I added the vanilla and then sprinkled the gluccie on top and whisked this together well. I then added it to a small sauce pan on medium heat and whisked until it thickened into this lovely glaze! You could have fun with this and omit the vanilla and add caramel extract, or maple or whatever sounds amazing to you!

Instructions!

For the rolls:
Combine the dry ingredients, whisking them together to combine well.
Grate the 1 Tablespoon butter into the dry and use hands to combine the butter into the dry ingredients.
Combine the applesauce, milk, water and vanilla.
Pour wet into dry and combine well, using hands to bring the dough together.

I used silpat for the next few steps, parchment (not wax paper) would also work well. Pat your dough out into a rectangle:

Melt butter, add in molasses, brush over dough.

Combine the super sweet blend with the cinnamon and sprinkle, then spread over the entire face of the dough.

Now! Using the silpat or the parchment, start rolling. This dough will be more delicate, but with some gentle finesse, will roll nicely. 

Thanks to my awesome photographer for the action shots. Using the silpat to help me get that roll folded.

Again using the silpat to fold over the dough.

After rolling cut in to 6 equal pieces and place in a lightly greased baking dish of your choice.

Finished product! I think what I would change next time is putting this in a tighter dish. But this worked out for this time. :)

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

My Weekly Meal Plan!

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I am back in the game peeps!! I am not able to guarantee I will post a weekly meal plan every week, but I will when I am able to!

For me, I realize that when I have a plan for EVERYTHING I am going to eat in a day, I do much better! So here is my plan!

For those new to my blog, I create recipes and share ideas that are allergy friendly.

This weeks plan for 1/3 - 1/9

Breakfasts - always egg free
S - A Home with Purpose Porridge, I add berries and protein powder (have this twice)
S - Blueberry Scones  I may use cranberries instead and add orange zest YUM! (will have these twice)
E - Chocolate Banana Muffins page 283 from the THM Cookbook (will have these twice)
S - Breakfast Sandwiches using Just Like Grandmas Rolls  and beef breakfast sausage patties

Lunches
S - Sandwiches on Just Like Grandmas Rolls with lean deli meat and all the fixings! Earth Milk (I will have this twice this week)
S - Sesame noodles ( a recipe in the works, if its delish, I will be blogging about it!)
S - Just Like Campbells Tomato soup with chicken
S - Salmon fillet and cabbage
S - Leftover soup (will have this twice)

Dinners
E - Sweet potato oat soup page 102 from the THM Cookbook
S - Cornbread Mexican Pie (I will make egg free and update my blog with results!) page 132 THM Cookbook
S - Suas and Cabb page 58 THM Cookbook
E - White Wicked Chili page 37 THM Cookbook
S - Lemon Drummies page 51  THM Cookbook
XO - Tacos! (in my world they are just best when I plan for a xo)
E - Cowboy Grub page 59 THM Cookbook

Snacks
FP - Fat Stripping Frappa (3 times)
S - Skinny Chocolate and Tea (twice)
E - Chocolate Banana Muffins (twice)

Desserts
S - Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar (twice)
E - Pineapple Upside Down Cake page 290 THM Cookbook (twice)
FP - Cookie Bowl Oatmeal with berries (twice)
S - Chocolate Cupcakes with this as frosting: http://simplyhealthyhome.com/dairy-and-sugar-free-chocolate-sauce/

Have a great week everyone!
With Joy ~ Tina